Jaynegang Challenges
by Neroli
Summary: A place to keep all my Jaynegang challenges together. New story added.
1. Secret Stash

Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, they are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox.  
  
Feedback is always welcome.  
  
Written for a Jaynegang challenge, this one was to write something that Jayne keeps hidden under his bed and doesn't want anyone to discover.

  
  
Jayne looked up and down the corridor to make sure no one was watching him. Satisfied that no one was about, he dropped lightly down into his quarters. After carefully locking the hatch above him he moved over to the small cot against the wall. With a slight grunt, he bent down to retrieve the small box underneath it.  
  
He glanced around the small room a bit guiltily, not quite able to shake the fear that he'd be caught. Shrugging the unease off, he sat down on the cot and slowly opened the box.  
  
With gentle fingers he reached in and pulled out a red, ripe strawberry. He savored the fresh, sweet smell of it. His sharp, white teeth bit into it leisurely; his pink tongue deftly catching the small stream of juice that almost escaped. He felt the soft moan of pleasure deep in his throat as the sweet, tangy flavors exploded on his tongue.  
  
Kaylee was so gonna kill him if she caught him with her strawberries.


	2. Baby Face

Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, they are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox.  
  
Feedback is always welcome.  
  
Written for a Jaynegang challenge, this one was to write something about why Jayne shaved off his goatee between Serenity and the Train Job and why he grew it back.

  
  
Jayne stood naked in front of his small mirror, turning this way and that while flexing his large pectoral muscles. He wished the mirror was a mite bigger so he could admire more of his hard work. Still, he knew that his daily workouts kept him buff. Not like that hwoon dahn of a Doctor they'd just picked up.  
  
But, it was the Doc that Kaylee'd been crushing on. And Jayne was determined to figure out why that was. Jayne knew he was fitter then the prissy Doc, handsomer too. So what was Kaylee seeing in the boy that Jayne was lacking?  
  
Jayne ran a critical eye over his reflection again, his eyes came to rest thoughtfully on the goatee covering his chin. Baby-faced, the Doc was all clean shaven and baby-faced. Maybe that was what appealed to Kaylee. Some girls just didn't care so much for the scratchiness.   
  
Thinking on how there was no accounting for some girls taste, he gave a slight grunt and grabbed his razor. It had been a while since he'd gone clean shaven anyways, might be time for a change.  
  
After a few minutes of careful shaving, he stepped back a pace to check out the view. Not too bad, he thought. Managed not to nick himself any, even after all this time. He ran his fingers lightly over his chin to make sure he hadn't missed a spot.  
  
There was something to be said for being baby-faced. The smooth skin felt kinda nice after all that time with it scruffy-like. With a satisfied grunt he turned away from the mirror and got dressed.  
  
He climbed up the ladder from his bunk and headed towards the engine room, confident that he'd figured out the Doc's secret appeal. After a slight pause in the doorway to make sure Kaylee was there and the Doc wasn't, he entered quietly.  
  
"Hey Kaylee," he said gruffly, puffing up a bit in anticipation of her reaction to his clean shave.  
  
"Hey," her muffled voice drifted up to him before she backed out from under the engine to look up. He watched as her startled eyes widened. "Jayne, what'cha shave your beard for?"  
  
She stood up and looked at him with something like horror. Jayne felt his heart sink as the realization that his shaving his beloved goatee off was totally unappreciated sunk in. Kaylee moved closer to run a critical finger across his jaw.  
  
"Don't suit ya," she said. "The beard gave you that dangerous, rugged look, ya know?"  
  
With that comment, she dropped back to her knees and crawled under the engine again. Jayne stood looking at her cute ass sticking up for a moment before wondering off a little dazed. On the one hand it'd been a failure shaving it off, seemed Kaylee preferred scruffy after all. On the other hand she had touched him, which was a first, so it weren't a total failure.  
  
Gorramit, now he was going to have to try and figure this Doc thing out again.


	3. Let There Be Cake

Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, they are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox.

Feedback is always welcome.

This one was not writen for a challenge, just a random bunny attack last night on the Jaynegang list.

For silk1

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Jayne sulked in his bunk and thought about heading up to the mess. He was in a foul mood, not a one of the crew had remembered his birthday. Not a peep about it all day, not even from Kaylee. She'd gone all out of her way to make the gorram Doc a cake for his birthday and couldn't even bother to give him a smile on his.

Ruttin' crew. And after all Mal's posturing about crew being like family. He'd known it was all an act. Well, he didn't need them, he'd just make himself his own cake and see if he let any of them have any. Course, he didn't have the skill with making that protein _go se_ into something edible that Kaylee and the Preacher had.

They hadn't even invited him along on their little trip into town. Mal'd just given him that stern look and reminded him it was his turn to watch the ship. Would serve Mal right if he went into town anyways and got drunk for his birthday. He could get himself a whore too. Who knows, maybe he'd run into some of the rest of the crew and they'd see him having himself a fine old time without them. Show them he don't need them around to celebrate. And maybe Mal would lock him off the ship for leaving it untended.

He hadn't even gotten his usual letter from Ma. The one person he could count on remembering and nothing in the post the last two stops they'd made. She always sent it out early to be sure he got it in time, most times he ran into it about a week before hand. But not this year, this year it looked to be late. Way things was going she'd probably forgotten too.

With a disgusted snort, Jayne heaved himself off the bed and climbed up out of his bunk. Well, since he was stuck here till the others got back he might as well see if he could find Kaylee's stash of engine-fermented wine. It was about time he checked to make sure everything was in order anyway. He'd locked everything up tight after the others and gone straight to his bunk to avoid the emptiness.

He was about to step down into the mess when a faint rustle alerted him that he was not alone on the ship. Pulling out his knife, he eased next to the bulkhead. Just what he needed, a reason for Mal to kill him on his birthday. Taking a silent breath to calm himself, he slid quickly into the darkened mess hall hoping the brief moment that his bulk would be visible would go unnoticed by whoever was inside.

Jayne stepped sideways off the stairs to get out of the doorway before he could be spotted and landed with all his weight on a foot. The Doc's yelp of pain sent Jayne reaching for the lights with the hand that wasn't holding Binky against Simon's neck.

"What the gorram hell…" Jayne's angry tirade was cut short by the rest of the crew yelling "Surprise" behind him. He turned his head and stared in shock at the crew arrayed around the table, a huge chocolate cake sitting in the middle of it. Book was leaning over it to light the candles on top.

"Perhaps you'd consider letting the Doc go and come blow these candles out so we can eat 'fore it gets to be your next birthday." Mal said with an amused grin.

"Uh, yeah…sure thing," Jayne replied, still stunned at the surprise party. He pulled the knife away from Simon's throat, noticing with annoyance that the Doc immediately reached up and made sure he hadn't broken any skin, like he wasn't skilled enough not to draw blood unless he wanted too. Maybe he should have cut him up a bit, might teach him not to go skulking about in the dark.

Jayne felt something moist hit his arm with a soft plop as he turned to head to the table. He glanced down to see a dark blob of chocolate resting there.

"Hey," he protested, looking up to meet River's mischievous eyes. She was standing next to the cake, shamelessly licking frosting off her fingers. Jayne scooped the frosting off his arm and stalked over to River with only a brief thought to how she'd managed to toss it in the first place.

"That's _my_ gorram cake," he growled at her, reaching up to smear the frosting into her hair. River ducked out of the way with a giggle and Jayne lunged after her before she could escape. Holding onto the wiggling and squealing girl with one arm, he deliberately wiped the frosting off on her nose instead.

"Children," Mal bellowed, glaring at both of them.

"Sorry Mal," Jayne muttered sullenly as he let River go, but she grabbed the front of his shirt and wiped her nose with it before she stepped away and beamed up at him. Gorram girl, now he was gonna have to do laundry before he could wear this shirt again.

"The candles?" Kaylee prompted eagerly before Jayne could retaliate. He shot a glare at River and headed back to the table, ignoring the giggle behind him. Everyone else was seated by the time Jayne and River reached the table. Jayne paused for a moment as he noticed the two seats left were the one opposite Mal and the one next to it, which River slid into gracefully before he could.

Jayne had never sat in the chair across from Mal before. Not during mealtimes least ways. The heads of the house sat in those seats, that's how it always was at home. He sat down awkwardly as everyone stared up at him.

"Don't forget to make a wish," Kaylee said as she gently pushed the cake down closer so he could blow out the candles.

Jayne let his gaze drift around the table, suddenly wanting to set this moment in his memory. Book's calm and amused expression. Wash grinning easily back at him before looking at the cake meaningfully; Zoe rolling her eyes slightly at her husband before they met his. Mal looking across at him almost proudly in spite of the empty hole even Jayne could sense next to him. Simon's slightly wary smile; Kaylee bouncing slightly in excitement next to him. River smiling at him serenely as she discreetly brushed her hand across a plain white envelope, he could just make out Ma's handwriting on it.

With a feeling of peace, Jayne leaned forward, made his wish and blew out the candles.


End file.
